Method of and apparatus for making cement bricks and the like



. M. zorrou March 31. 1925.

' Match 31. 1925.

A. M. ZOTTOLI ME'IHOD )F AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING CEMENT BRICKSANI THE LIKE Filed 0Gt. 10, 1924 2 ShetS-Sh68l. 2

ATT RN YE vide a simple Patened Mar. 31, 1925.

UNITED STATES} PATENT OFFICE.

ANTl-IONY M. ZOTTOLI, OF Q'UIITCY, MASSACI-IUSETTS.

IVIET-IOD OE ANI) AE'PARAT'U'S FOR MAKING GEMENT BRICKS A1\TD T'I-IE LIKE.

Appli'cation filed October 10, 1924. Serial No. .742,773.

T0 (dl v.vkom z't may concernu Be t known that I, ANTI-IONY M. ZOTTOLI, a citizen of the United States, resdng at Qunoy, oounty of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts, have nvened acertan new and useful mprovement in Methods of and Apparatus for Making Cement Brieks and the 1ike, of whioh the followng s a specification, reference beng had theren to the acoompanying drawngs.

The inventon relates to a new and useful improvernent in method ,of ancl apparatus or making brcks and the like out of cement. 'lhe objeet of the inventon is to proand compact apparatus whereby a plurality of brioks or the lke may be made at the same time out of a large mass of oement nstead of molding eaoh blook separately.

One eature of the invention consists in providng a box nto which a mass of cement may be poured while in a soft eondton and provding a movable splitting member 01 members, each carryng a partiton member whioh may be drawn through the bed 0 soft cement. in the box in snob manner that the partton member Will divide the mass into layers. Another feature conssts in formin the partition member of sheet materia oI snob a character that. it may be readily sevmed and provdng means for atting: down tln-ongh several layers and partitcm mmnbors before the cement beoomes set so that e:)f:h layer may be divided into a ph1ralty of blocks. Other features of the invention Will be fully desoribed as set forth in the claims hereinafter.

The n'venton Will be fully understood from the following desripton when taken in connectionwith the accompanyng drawngs, and the novel features thereof W1l be pointed out and olearly defined in che claims at the close of this specificaton.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an isometrc view of the box member of the app'aratus which receves the bed of cement.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 s an isornetrie view of the base membe1 whoh cooperates with the box.

Fig. 4; un isometrioview of one of the whch tbe cement would ooze out.

spttngmembers wth one of the movable partiton members attached thereco.

Fig. 5 is a 'ragmentaryseotonal view of one of the vertical walls showng one of the grooves in whoh the slidable spltting membe1 moves.

Fig. 6 is a vertical seotional vew longitudinally through tbe box after the box has been fillec with cement, the movable split-- tng members being mounted in the box in their guideways and the movable parttion members attached to the rear ends of the sptting members before beng drawn into the box. 7

Fig. 7 s a trans'Verse sectonal view showing parts in the positon shown in F g. 6.

Fig. 8 s a sectional view 011 the same line ras Fig. 6, che base member being partly broken aWay, showng the sp'ltting members pulled through the box and the movable partition members moved nto operative position.

Fig. 9 is a longtudinal sectional vew on the same line as Fgs. 6 and 8 showing che parts after fohe box member hasibeen pulled down into telescopng relaton. to the base member and leaving the set of formed brcks in dfierent Iayers supermposed upon each other and .all restng On the base member.

Referring to the drxw ngsz A opresenks the box member 'and B the base member. The box As open at the top and bottom. thas two side walls 1, 1 and two end walls 2., 2, the two side wal'ls being prefe'rably wthut openings, that is,

without any crevices or open spaces through The two end wa'lls) 2, 2 are formd W-th horizontal slts 3, 3, the nur'nber of'sueh slts depending upon the number of layers into WhiCh t is intended to divide tbe mass of cement. The horizontal slits in one end are in alinement With the s1ts in theoppo:ite end, sad

s1its being openings through which the horizontal. movable spli'tting members hereinaiter described are drawn to sp1it the mass o cement into layers.

Preferably the box s provded \VL a purality of vertical partitions 5, as many as desired, thus divdng che nteror of the box into a pluralty of longtudnal comycompartment of the box partments each of which is of the width of the individual brieks in the finshed. form. The box may be o11ly of the wdth of a singe brick and stl en1body the invention bulft is intended to have the box made wth a plurality of vertieal partitons dividing it into a number of compartments in .order to increase the capacity 01' the apparatus. The number of co1npartments thus formed may be as many as desired accordngto the capacty desred and also the number of horzonta1 s1ts for the movable spltting membe1*s may be made as many as desred for the san1e reason.

The vertcal parttions 5 arepreferably pennanehtly fastened to the wal1s, although this s net necessary provided they are rig- 1dly n1antaned in positon during the use 01 the apparatus.

The two side walls 1, 1 are each formed with a longitudinal groove or guideway 6 011 che inner face chereof in alinement wth the s1its 3 parttion 111e111be1s 5 1s forn1ed on eaeh of its tWo faces with s'in1ilar grooves or guideways also in alnen1ent with sad slits.

A n1ovable splitting member7 s slidably n1ounted in each par of guidewaysi 6 in each Said splitting men1ber s preferably made of a thin strip of metal having a cut-out interior 8 leavng only enough metal at the tWo sdes to fit in the grooved gudewa vs 6 in tne two side wa1ls of the compartment. A cross piece 9 at the forward end extends out through the front end of the box and serves as a handle for operating the splittng member; rear end has a cross porton 10, Whch serves as a knife, the front edge 11 of whch cuts the way t111ough the mass 0 cement. Preferably the guideways 6 are V-shaped and the outsde edges of the spitting member are bevelled to fit nto said gideways. The groovesancl engagngedges 01' the splittng member are thus formed fo1 the purpose of preventlng the cement fror'n collecting in the grooves dnring the operation of tbe ap paratus.

A str1p of sheet materia 12 s fastened to the real endof said splitting 1nen1ber and extends rearwardly as shoWn 111 F1g. 6

, when che sphtt1ng n1e1nber 1s 111 1ts norn1al positon 'W1111e the box s beng fi1led W1h Cement a11d before the operation of the splitting nto layers. 1 This sl1eet materal should be in the form of astrip of the same wdth V as the compartn1ent. II: should be of materal which can be readily out by the vertically movable knives to be hereinafter described and preferabl v should be made of n1aterial which will not adhere to tbe cement eVei1 When the cement is in ts softest condton. A very'good material for this purpose 1s 011 paper. It may come 111 a roll otf nxany yards and be drawn fron1 the 1'ol in the end walls and eaeh of the The as desred by drawing the movable sp1ittng member through the box. t 1s net deen1ed necessary to show the roll 111 the draw1ngs as it will be readily understood 110W this members'5, as shown in Fig. 1.

The base men1ber B has a botto111 member 157 on Which are mounted a pluralty 0 vertcal standards 16 correspondng in number with the compartments of the box and on top ofeach of these standards aremounted a series of Ia1ls or bloeks 17, each of whch is of a width equalrto che interior width of one of the longitudnal compartments of the box A. Spaces 18 bebween che several rails or blocks 17 are equal to the thcknessof the vertical partiton members 5 of the box and the outsde wdth of the space oecupied by all of the rals or block members 17 WheIi n1ounted on s-aid standards 16 and the outside length of said 1a1 01 block members Wll be snob that when the box is mounted upon the top of sad men1ber B, it may, at the proper time,be telescoped down onto the base member by engaging che longtudnal parttion members5, 5 111 said spaces 18 between the bock men1bes and pressing down on the box men1ber.

In order to support the box n1e1nber 011 the base until such time as t s -to be pushed down,there are provded suitable support- 111g means whch are releasable te permt the telescoping. The means shown in the drawings consists of pins '01 dowels 19 projectng from the outside faces of the two outsde rai1 members 18, as shown in Figs. 3, 6 and 7. These pins may be pulled out when 1t 1s desired to let the boxdown. It s to bennderstood that any other suitable supporting means inay be employed. v

-The said 1al members 17 are preferably n1ounted 011 the top of tbe standards 16 in sueh manne1 that they are readly removable therefrom for the purpose 0.1f transferring the drawings, the 1als are forn1ed 'W1h longfiudmal grooves 20 and the standafds are forn1ed with longitudinal tongues 21120 pern1t a tongu, and g1oove engagement of the rai1s with the standards. This W11 prevent the sdewse dsplacement of the rails an d keep 'the1n properly Spaced apart from each other. The operative may very readily eente1 then1 longitudinally on the standards. The sad rail n1en1bers 17 are fonncd wth transverse grooves 22 so located as to be in alinement with theknives 13 when the box is telescoped onto the base. 'Ihe top of eaoh rail membsr is thus divided into seotions substantially 01' the same surfaoe dimensions as tbe face of one of the brieks.

In operation the box A Will be positioned on the base member B with the lower edge of the side wall 1, 1 resting on the pins 19 or whatever othe'r supports may be used and so eentered that the vertical partition members 5 Will be in alinement with the spaces 18 between the rails or block 17, as shown in Fig. 7, and so that the end walls 2, 2 Will be eentered With relation to the ends of the blocks or rails 17, as shown in Fig. 6.

The eement which has been previously pre pared of tl1e proper eonsistency Will then be pou1ed into the different compartments of the box, filling them all, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. Eaol1 compartment is open and unobstrueted for its full depth to receive the cement as the side members of the splitting member 7 are wholly within the guide grooves as already explained. Now while the mass of cement is still soft and bet'ore it begins to set, the hai1dle 9 of the splitting members Will be g1asped and drawn out at the front to move the knife member through the full length Of tbe box, the knife portion 10 of the splitting member cutting a way through the mass of oement. This forms a passageway for the strip 12 which Will be drawn through the passage formed by the knife until the advance end of the strip 12 comes out through the slit 3 at the front end of the box, as shown in Fig.

8. It Will be seen that the mass in each,

compartment is thus split into layers varying with the number of splitting members for each oompartment. As shown in the drawings there are two splitting members for each eompartment and therefore it Will be divided into tbree layers.

The pins 19 on'whioh the box A rests Will now be withdrawn from supporting engagement witb tbe box so that the box is free to be znoved down. The box will 110W be io1ced down into telescopio 1elatioi1 to the base member by any suitable pressure means, either band or poWer, according to the size of the apparatus and the amount of pressure required until the Upper edge of the box member A has passed below the upper tace of tbe rail members 17, as shown in Fig. 9. During the descent the knives 13 out transversely through the several layers in the different eompartments and through the paper strips 12, che knives at the bottom 01 the descent entering the transverse grooves 22 in the rail members 17. Eaoh layer Wlll be out into sections of the size desired for a single briok 0, and all Will be supported by the rail member 17. T bus as illustrated in the drawings, eaeh compartment will have three layers and eaoh tlnee bricks tl1us'; making nine brioks in each compartment or twenty-seven for the entii'e apparatus, and each layer of brioks above the bottom one Will be sepaiated from the biiek beneath by a layer of the strip mate-- rial 12.

The bricks should now be allowed to set. T0 provide oonvenient means by whieh this may be done and not interfeie With the immediate rei1ewed operation ofthe apparatus, the rail members 17 are removab-le from the standards 16 as previously clesoribed. In order that they may be cen Veniently removed these rail members are undercut at eaoh end asshown in Figs. 3 and 9 forming flanges 23. This permits the rail members to be easily lifted oii the standards. A convenient means of doing this would be to place a lifting bar under each of the flanges 23 and a man standing at eaoh end of the apparatus couldgrasp one end oli each lifting bar in hisbands and the two men together could 'easily lift the iails from the standards with the complete set of brieks resting thereon and earry them to a suitable place Where tlie'y will remain until tl1e brieks are dry. Another set of iails can be mourited on the' standards 16, the pins 19 being re-inserted to support the new set of.

rail members and the box mounted thereon and the operation of filling the box and forming another set of brieks proceeded with. As many sets oi rail members should be provided as necessary to allow the brieks, already taken away, to beoome fully dried before the same rails are used over again.

VVha t I elaim is:

1. In an apparatus or themanufsieture of briks or other articles, a box to re'ceive a mass of cementitious material,a movable member adapted to move through the mass of cement to divide it into layers ea ch equal in thickness to one of the artieles to be produced, and means '01 drawing a strip oi sheet material into the passage out by tbe movab-le member to form a partton between the said layers.

2. In an apparatusfor the manufaotuie 0 bllCkS or other art1eles, a box to i'eceive a mass of cement1t1ous mater1al, a mov,able

. knife adapted to move horizontally through the mass of eement to divide it into layers equal in thiokness to one o-f the articles to be produced, and'a strip o f sheet mateiial drawn by the knife into the passage made by the knife, te forni a partition between the said layers, said box having a slit in one of its walls in alinement with the passage out by the knife and through Whioh tl1e strip is drawn bythe knife into the box and between the layers.

3. In an, apparatus for the manufaoture of bricks 01 other artioles, a box to receive a mass of oementitions material, a knife adapted to move horizontzilly through che mass of oement to divide the mass into layers eaoh equal in. thiokness to -one of time artioles to be produoed and means for drawing a strip of sheet material into the passage out by the knife to orm a partition between the said layers. V

4. In an apparatus f0i fiabe manufacture of' brioks or other'artioies, a box to reoeive a mass 0 cementitious material, a knife, means to move the knife horizontally through the mass of cement to divide the mass into- 1ayers equal in thiokness to oneof the artioles tobe produced and a strip of sbeet matrial drawn by the knife into the passage out by the knife to form a partition between the said layers, said box having slits in two opposito walis in alinemeno with the passag out by the knife. and through one of which the strip is dra wn by tbe knife into the box and tbrough the other of Whioh che knfe is moved when it draws the strip in.

5. In a1i apparatus for the manufacturo the side walls of t'ho compartment containing the cementitious mass'being formed witb guideways for the knife, said knife being ormed With an adVance body portion equal in length ZO the Iength of the compartment oontaining the mass of material which is being divided, said body portion engaging with said guideways and being out out'to form a hollow center corresponding with the length and widt h of the oompartmenc, the out ting portion bing ai; one end of said opening and a strip of sbeet material attached to the outting end of the. knife whioh is drawn into the passage out by the knife to form a partition between tbe layers.

(3. In an apparatus for the manufaoture oi brioks 01 other artioles, a box to receive a mass in the box into Iayers, a member which' supports tbe box during the dividing of the mass into Iayers, said box beiiigopenat the bottom and said support being of such dimensions that the box may be telescopd on to it, and knives mounted in the uppe1 part of the box and extending transversely there-' of, whicb, when the box is telescoped over the bed member WII out down throngii 13110 several layers. U

7. In an apparatus for the manufaoture of brioks or other articles, a box to receive a mass of cementitious materiai, a DIOVELb' member adapted to be mowad in scli manner as to divide theoementitios mass in ibebox into layers and insert a partioion member of sheet material between the layers, a

member Whioh s1'1pports the box during che d1v1dmg of tbe mass 1nto Iayers, sa1d box being open at the bottom and said support being of snob dimensions that the box may be telesooped over it, and knives mounted in the upper partof the box and extending transversely thereof, whioh, when tbe box is telescoped onto the be d member WiII out down through the several Iayers and through tbe said sheet partition members.

8. The herein desoribed method of forming a plurality of brioks or other articies consisting of moving a splitting member V horizontally through a mass oi cementitious material in a soft oo1idition contained in a mo1d box of Iargsr dimensions than the individual articies to be produoecb inserting a strip of sheet materiai bet-ween tbe iayers, then outting vertioaliy through the several layers and interposed shest materiai partitions ho divide the several Iayers into individual articles.

9. The herein describd method of forming a plurality of bricks or other artioies consisting of moving a splitting niember horizontally through a mass of cementitious material in a soft condition contained in a mold box of Iarger dimensions than tbe in dividual articles tobe produced and Causing tho splitting member to draw a strip oif sheet material into tbe passage formed by the splitting membor bo form a partition member between tho Iayers, then cotting verticallyi;hrongh the sove1al ]ayers and interposed sheet material par-titions to divide tbe several Iaye1s into individual artioes.

' In testimony whereof I aflix my signatnre.

ANTI-IONY M. ZOTTOLI. 

